Frank Miller, Jim Lee: The Goddamn Batman

MattShepherd: I WEDDED KALI!

14:10 / 18.05.07

and why do Tim's pajamas have fluffy pom-poms on them (final page)? They're clearly meant for grownups, since they're too big on him....

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

15:22 / 18.05.07

Think of it as Heroes Reborn at DC. Just enjoy it.

Does not compute. Does not compute. 01010001010010100--
"Daisy, Daisy, give me your annnnnnswer, dooooo... I'm half-craaaaaaaaazzeeee allllllll for theee lofff offf y--*"

15:24 / 18.05.07

I just read the first four and I'm trying to wrap my head around this.

First impression: "Frank Miller is trolling."

07:21 / 25.05.07

I thought this issue was hilarious. Probably the best 5 minutes of my shitty week truth be told.

Could we change the thread title to THE GODDAMN BATMAN please? Thanks.

This Sunday

14:08 / 20.07.07

So is the first story nearing a climactic TPBing point with six, then? Black Canary is apparently going to actually dovetail wtih the Bat-situation, hypothetically Batman could beat down the whole JLA in less than one issue, providing all GL can do is take people's coats, and short of Huntress and maybe a theme-villain or two, there's not a lot to go for opening salvo.

Every time Jim Lee talks about this thing, it expands, from four issues to six to eight, then back to six... and there's no longer going to be a Neal Adams stint on pencils, right?

And what's up with Batgirl's mask? The rest of the costume is an alright update, I guess, but the new mask? She must have um, no respect for Jim Gordon's intelligence or detective abilities whatsoever. Of course, apparently Gordon's got the same issue in regards to his wife, but still...

18:09 / 23.07.07

no more Neal Adams - he's doing a separate Batman project which won't (I think) be All-Star.

12:54 / 09.08.07

I can't find the thread wherein we talked (briefly) about MARTHA WASHINGTON DIES (where everyone commented that it was a pretty light story, and only 16 pages/panels) -- but the one thing I found interesting about that story (aside from being happy to some Dave Gibbons art again) is the unusual-for-Miller use of spirituality or apotheosis -- Frank Miller writing about Dark Matter and the heroine of his story being magically/heavenly 'beamed up' to a higher level of existence when she dies? Is this Miller's Catholic upbringing or has he been reading lots of Moore, Morrison and NEW SCIENTIST...?

18:36 / 19.08.07

Totally nuts; I now buy this more with the fascination of a car wreck than anything else. File me under those who find it mostly not-very-good and perhaps intentionally, perhaps unintentionally hilarious. But I did like Barbara Gordon's line "Never have a dad who's a detective" and the idea of giving Black Canary (not sure if this is the first BC or Dinah, the second) a strong Irish accent, for some odd reason. And now we see in a few months when the next fascinating/weirdly hilarious train wreck comes out.

Triplets

18:40 / 19.08.07

That said, Barbara's line about her dad came with the unspoken clause "unless he's shit".

Stigma Enigma

05:38 / 05.09.07

Could we change the thread title to THE GODDAMN BATMAN please? Thanks.

I second that motion.

Stigma Enigma

05:40 / 05.09.07

hypothetically Batman could beat down the whole JLA in less than one issue

decedent.....you are my new best friend.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

16:34 / 05.09.07

Fuck that, Alfred could take em down in less time - That man has guns like a battleship.

PatrickMM

23:27 / 05.09.07

Anyone know if there's a TPB coming out soon? If they wait for twelve issues, it could be a good few years. I haven't read it, but I'm anticipating something so crazy and nonsensical it just becomes entertaining, the Beyond the Valley of the Dolls of Batman. Though I suppose the 60s series kind of covered that. Either way, change the thread name to The Goddamn Batman.

13:38 / 06.09.07

Yes. Change that title.

Every now and then I'll find another page on the internets somewhere, and each one makes me want to read the whole GODDAMN glorious trainwreck that I know this'll be if it ever ends.

Bring out the trade. I don't care if there aren't enough issues, I'll pay full price anyway.

21:17 / 27.09.07

So, #7. I think quite possibly the most quotable and perhaps wilfully stupid, the latter begetting the former, comic since the Doom adaptation.

I could just post things from every other page, really, but I'll settle for one, my favourite today. There will be others later, I'm sure of that.

"We keep our MASKS on."
"It's BETTER that way."

Just how far will Frank Miller go externalising the rumbling psychosis beneath the genre and character?! That far, for a start. I'm really glad they got Jim Lee on art now, which I wasn't to begin with; there's something subversive about his gloss and distended perspectives, bodies in particular, in alliance with a Miller script (THE Miller script? Could be.)

It's so perverse, this book; everyone says "goddamn" about eleven times this ish, and at this point, I just want them to do it more. FUN 4 ME.

21:27 / 27.09.07

Basically, some people think Frank the Tank should lay off the chi. This being, almost unquestionably, the result, I am not those people.

11:16 / 28.09.07

Yep. This comic is like taking fucking weird strong drugs.

"We keep our masks on. It's better that way"

11:19 / 28.09.07

I think I might sign all my posts like that from now on.

I like the idea of a pumped up, libidinous psychotic Batman.

"Life is good."

Weirdly, it reads strangely like the original bat-stories. Back in the 40's both Superman and Bats were kind of fun-loving assholes.

12:06 / 28.09.07

When did you convert, MacR?

15:01 / 28.09.07

About issue 4 I think. I just realised there's room in the world for a Batman as gonzo as Miller's current version.

COBRAnomicon!

15:34 / 28.09.07

I've gone through a similar 180. I hated thing book for the first few issues, but now I love it just for being an exercise in taking things as far as they'll go. So many goddamn goddamns!

This Sunday

06:39 / 29.09.07

You have to love the war between childish hates-that-Supes-can-do-things-he-can't pouty violent Bats and rational, freedom-loving, trying to save the world Bats. And that, by the time we're to DKR he's revised all this so that Dick names the car and many other somewhat embarrassing elements are mentally retconned into not being his fault. Petty, Batman, very petty!

He can't really control any of the hero characters, can he? He's almost inevitably going to have to accept them as equals, or at least, as competent and individual.

No JLA, but a Joker-intrusion instead? This thing is going to go on forever, though, isn't it?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

23:42 / 29.09.07

I am still sort of viewing this as a fascinating train wreck that I am curious to see unfold, in a morbidly mesmerizing way. There are some clever Millerian turns of phrase in this issue.

Miller has said he wants to write this book for a looong time...he sees himself staying til at least issue 11 and beyond, so I've heard. Who knows when Jim Lee can actually get the book out with any regularity...

00:00 / 30.09.07

I NEED A TRADE OR I WILL PUNCH MILLER IN THE GODDAMN FACE.

I know it won't be his fault, but FUCK IT.

I NEED ONE.

And I'm willing to travel.

PatrickMM

01:53 / 30.09.07

I've heard that issue eight marks the end of the first story chunk, and is the likely trade break point, so we shouldn't have to wait too much longer. That issue drops in November and with any luck, we'll have a trade by January. I just hope they don't wait to put it out until the Summer, when the new Batman movie drops.

Cowboy Scientist

20:51 / 30.09.07

HAVE A GODDAMN WALLPAPER!

This Sunday

23:18 / 30.09.07

Goddammit! Am I the only person here who says damn/goddamn about as frequently as this book? It's not that rare, is it?

I've been missing it in superhero books ever since Adam Warren's last Fantastic Four.

the credible hulk

03:38 / 01.10.07

What a LOVELY wallpaper. I may change the background to something a little more GRADIENT, but yessir, this is a keeper.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

22:42 / 02.10.07

Compare and contrast, old man. Keep breathing. COMPARE. CONTRAST.

03:22 / 03.10.07

those are fantastic.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

04:35 / 03.10.07

Why is it that I always enjoy the bootleggy Bat-stuff people from outside DC do over the actual stuff?

01:37 / 30.11.07

new issue out.

Umm..... some massive rewriting of Joker-related stuff. And a new costume design for Robin. The Robin costume design is a bit much for me (the H on the front is ludicrous, but hopefully they'll get rid of it since Batman didn't like Robin's name selection)...

I have to admit, now it's more like I buy this because it's a fascinating train wreck and I'm just curious to see what Miller does next. I don't actually LIKE it so much as I'm curious & amused by Miller's piss-take on the whole thing. I've only done a quick skim-read of the new issue at this point...

Regrettable Juvenilia

07:53 / 30.11.07

13:29 / 30.11.07

Aside from the *ugh* factor of the sleazy initial scene, another nutzoid issue, with plenty of eye-popping moments. I'm quite liking the fact that Miller's throwing lots of characters into the mix - Catwoman as baddie is good.